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If you need an inspection or fire report, want to be tuned in to the latest BFRS news, or would like to know a little more about how the fire department is working to serve you, then check out our one-stop-shop for fire department information.
If you don’t find the answer to your question here, email [email protected]. A customer service representative will help you to access the information that you need.
BFRS is an all-hazards career fire department providing 24-hour emergency response services from 12 strategically located fire stations. The fire department’s 235 civil service and 10 civilian employees serve within four sections: Administration and Finance, Logistics, Operations, and Planning. The front-line fleet consists of 12 engines/quints, three aerial trucks, three basic life support rescues, one air cascade/ventilation unit, three district chief units, and one shift commander unit. Minimum staffing on engines is three people. Minimum on-duty staffing in the Operations Section is 45 persons.
9-1-1 calls for service are initially answered at the Beaumont Police Department Communications Center and immediately directed to the Fire-EMS Communications Center. Located at Beaumont Fire-Rescue Headquarters, all emergency calls for fire, medical, hazardous materials, and technical response services for Beaumont Fire-Rescue and Beaumont EMS are dispatched and monitored from this office. All service requests are dispatched and tracked using a system that incorporates mobile computer terminals and automatic vehicle locator technology to ensure the closest available unit responds, regardless of location.
BFRS provides fire, technical rescue, hazardous materials, disaster, and first responder emergency medical response services over a service area of approximately 90 square miles. BFRS also provides Special Operations Response Teams in hazardous materials, water response and recovery and wildland/urban interface firefighting. BFRS members also serve on the Regional Incident Management Team, Southeast Texas Regional Rescue Team, RAC-R Emergency Medical Task Force 6 and Texas Task Force 1.
In 2013, BFRS units responded to 15,411 emergency incidents resulting in 20,973 unit responses. The average response time for the first unit on scene for all emergency calls for service was four minutes and 51 seconds. The average response time for the first unit on scene for fire responses was three minutes 28 seconds.
BFRS provides a number of risk reduction services: fire and safety education, fire code compliance inspections, building plans review, fire protection systems testing, permitting, public information and records requests, and fire, arson and professional standards investigations. The Fire Museum of Texas, which is operated by BFRS, served more than 11,000 visitors in 2013. In addition to multiple public events, public education outreach activities reached more than 2,197 citizens through 42 safety education programs. The department also conducted 5,468 fire code consultations, 2,490 fire code compliance inspections, 531 investigations, 414 plans reviews, and 246 systems acceptance tests. The department issued 167 permits and responded to 860 requests for public information.
The City of Beaumont is structured as a council-manager form of government. The City Council appoints the city manager, city attorney, city clerk, and magistrates. The city manager appoints the fire chief, who is then confirmed by the City Council. The fire chief appoints the assistant fire chief and the fire administrator. All other ranks are promoted through competitive civil service testing.
Since the Incident Command System can be used to organize and manage virtually anything, the fire department reorganized its structure and day-to-day management to follow the principles of ICS. Click the link to learn more about our organizational structure.
Fire Chief
409.880.3916
Planning Section Chief
409.880.3905
Fire Response/B-Shift
409.880.3928
Services Branch Director
409.880.3901
Public Information Officer
409.880.3905
Risk Reduction Manager
409.880.3905
Beaumont officially became a town on Dec. 16, 1838. Named after Mary Beaumont, wife of businessman Henry Millard, Beaumont was a center for cattle raisers and farmers in the early years. At this time, response to a fire was an unorganized effort using only leather buckets, wet tote sacks and blankets. Many times extinguishing a blaze was hopeless.
In September 1881, a large lumber yard fire helped the citizens of Beaumont recognize the need for organized fire protection. Later that year, a vote of the citizens committee created Beaumont Fire Company No. 1, consisting of 16 volunteer members. Several large fires occurred at Spindletop and in Beaumont during the years following the first gusher in 1901. By 1903 the BFD was a fully paid force. City officials became apprehensive about threats of devastating fires in the oil field area. There was a dramatic increase in population in Beaumont and citizens expressed concern for fire safety. The sleepy lumber camp became home to processing plants, storage facilities, and shipping, changing the course of fire history in the city.
In May 1934, members of the department filed for a union charter. After receiving the charter on Nov. 29, 1934, and with a unanimous vote of the fire department’s members, employees became members of the International Association of Firefighters, Local 399. Members paid 50 cents a month for their union dues. Today, under the command of Fire Chief Anne Huff, the Beaumont Fire Department employs 235 uniformed and 10 civilian members. With the leadership of the fire department’s management team and Chief Officer Corps, the department has made incredible progress toward the implementation of the Incident Command System, firefighter safety and training initiatives, officer development, and the attainment of many state and national standards.
Currently in the design and construction phase are three new fire stations. Fire Station No. 2 will be relocated to 5220 Helbig, replacing the facility constructed in 1947. Fire Station No. 11 will be relocated to 525 Royal, replacing the facility constructed in 1931. Fire Station No. 1 will be relocated to the corner of Caldwell and Gulf Street, replacing the facility constructed in 1981. For more information and a deeper look into the Beaumont Fire Department’s history please click here.
There are three types of single search records that can be distributed directly from the fire department:
There is no charge for conducting a single search to retrieve one of the individual records listed above. All other records requests must be routed through the City Clerk’s office.
Multiple single search requests submitted individually from the same source, or requests requiring multiple searches will be bundled and routed through the City Clerk’s office prior to processing. Depending on the type of information and time it takes to compile, fees may be charged. For more information, visit the City Clerk’s webpage.
Beaumont Fire-Rescue Services Attn: Records Request 400 Walnut @ Mulberry P.O. Box 3827 Beaumont, TX 77701 FAX 409-880-3931 *For return by standard mail, please include a stamped, self-addressed envelope.
In your request, please include: